Kirk, Spock, and McCoy were in a bar, relaxing after the intense past few weeks aboard the Enterprise.

"What's gotten into that hobgoblin, Jim?" Bones asked Kirk as they watched Spock over at the bar.

"Oh, Bones, I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he's learned what it's like to have fun once in a while," Jim responded.

"I dont know, there's something not right about him tonight."

"Don't overthink it Bones, he's just having a good time." Just after he said that, he saw Spock get up from the bar with his drink and start to stumble over to him and his friend. "Um... Bones? Your professional opinion in a moment?"

"Jim. Jim Jim Jim Jim Jimjimjimjim." Spock sighed, "It's so nice to see you. Bones! Teehee! Sorry," he giggled, then continued in a comically deep voice, "Doctor McCoy."

Jim and Bones took one glance at each other and lost it. Doubled over laughing, they tried to speak in between bursts of laughter. "Spock-" "Drunk-" and "Teehee" were the only discernable noises that came out of those attempts.

As their laughter died down, Spock took Jim by the shoulders and stood between him and McCoy. "Captainainain-" he muttered, then leaned in to Jim's ear and giggled, "I... love... you." He then broke into a fit of laughter and stepped back, away from Kirk. Kirk's eyes lit up- did his first officer actually feel that way? From the moment they met Kirk had loved Spock. Did Spock finally feel the same way?

"Still need that professional opinion, or have you puzzled it out for yourself? Someone is drunk," Bones chirped in while Spock was laughing uncontrollably.

"I don't even care who knows! I love my captain and I-"

"Bones!" Jim shouted over Spock, "Tell Scotty to beam up back aboard. Now!"

Bones laughed as he drew out his communicator. He flipped it open and said, "Hey Scotty, beam us up, will you? We've got ourselves a drunk Vulcan down here."

"Beaming you up."

The three of them appeared on the transporter pads and Spock was still laughing.

"What the devil happened down there, Jim?" Scotty demanded.

Bones was chuckling as he saw Spock laugh so hard that he had to lean on Jim to stay upright. "I think someone forgot to order virgin drinks tonight."

"Your face is so nice. Do you know that?" Spock was absentmindedly running his fingers over Kirk's face while Kirk stood there motionless. It wasn't clear if Kirk was irritated or amused, but either way, he wanted to get out of the transporter room. He dragged Spock as quickly as he could to the Vulcan's room.

When they got there, Kirk set him down on the bed and started to leave the room. "Wait, Kirkypoo," Spock was holding out his hands trying to brink Jim back to him.

"Mr. Spock, you really should rest. You've been through a lot tonight and I'm sure you don't know what you're saying. Good night," Kirk walked through the door and crossed the hall into his room. He collapsed on his own bed and put his head between his knees. He felt like such an idiot. When Spock had drunkenly confessed his love for the captain, he got his hopes up for some reason. He should have known that it meant nothing. For god's sake, the man was hardly even conscious when he said it! Not even bothering to get into his pajamas, Kirk curled up into a ball and tried all night to go to sleep- unsuccessfully. All he could think about was what would happen with Spock tomorrow, if he remembered anything from that night.

Jim knew it was most likely that there would be no direct bad outcomes from that night, but that didn't matter to him. No, what mattered to him was that inescapable gnawing feeling in his gut that he would never be able to go back to the way things were with Spock.